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Pipe Making Clicking Noise? (All You Need to Know)

Pipes are a crucial part of every house since they will ensure safe water flowing throughout your house. Apart from the water line, you must have some electric and gas piping systems in your house. You must keep them sound and ensure that they are performing well.

Sometimes, those pipes may go wrong for different reasons and become a problem for the entire plumbing system. They may create weird sounds and irritate you until you sort it out.

Pipe making clicking noise

Your pipes are making a clicking noise because of internal damage or hindrances. Usually, the pipes create noise when the water flowing or faulty water pressure is disrupted. Improper plumbing installation might be another reason your pipes are clicking noises that bother you.

Multiple reasons are why your pipe is clicking or knocking noises. Among them, we will consider the first three reasons as the core that must be sorted out immediately. 

If you make any mistake of leaving them alone and don’t repair or find the problems, your entire plumbing system will be damaged. 

There is a chance that your pipe will be cracked or poorly damaged that you cannot even repair. You must replace the clicking pipes to eliminate that noise and make things easier. 

It may also happen that you will not get a flawless water flow throughout your houses, which will be a disaster for your family.

Before solving the problem, it’s more important to understand why your pipes are making clicking noises. Let’s get through them; we will sort them out accordingly.

Internal Clogs

Internal clogs are the first reason your pipes make clicking noises. Sometimes, the old and overused pipes will have some dirt and other metal parts inside them that ultimately create some typical clogs. 

When the water flows through that clogs, they will try to overcome it; eventually, the pips will create a clicking noise.

People who use metal pipes in their houses greatly face this problem. You can’t even think of using these pipes without rusting for a very long time. In that case, internal clogs will become the first reason for clicking noise from your pipes.

Imbalance Water Pressure:

Imbalance of water pressure could be another reason for clicking noise from your pipes. Water must flow without facing any hindrance, and the water pressure should remain at a constant rate. 

For some reason, the water pressure might go up and create vibration inside your pipelines. 

As a result of that vibration, the pipes will start clicking noise. You should check the water source and determine why the water pressure is imbalanced. 

Sometimes, your water lines might create that problem to make an unstable water pressure inside the pipes.

Hot water Expands Metal: 

If you use the hot water in your house primarily used in the USA, the hot water may expand the metal pipes that naturally create the clicking noise. You cannot sort it out since you must use the hot water. 

Mainly, the hot water increases the pipe inside the space to flow better.

When it does that, the pipe creates some clicking noise while flowing through the pipes. So, you cannot stop that flow of hot water through your pipes. You may decrease your water temperature to solve this problem shortly. 

It will not stop the clicking noise permanently but will reduce it.       

Is it normal for pipes to make a clicking noise?

It is usual for pipes to make a clicking noise from the water pressure imbalance or any clog inside the pipes. Sometimes, the pipe will create that clicking noise when you use the hot or boiling water through them. 

The temperature will expand the pipe from inside, and the water will get through them by creating that noise.

Drain pipe:

Although it is not normal for drain pipes to make a clicking noise, they may create some other knocking noise. If they create such noise while flowing water, you should check for the clogs and other issues. 

Finding the problem and cleaning your drain pipe regularly will give you good relief.

Water pipe:

It is usual for water pipes to make a clicking noise while flowing different water pressure through them. Another reason could be the clog inside the water pipes that hinders the water flow.

If you find such a problem, you must follow the solutions below and get things done immediately.  

Bathroom pipes:

It is also normal for bathroom pipes to make a clicking noise for water pressure and flow. If your bathroom sink and pipes get clogged, you should check that to clean and repair the damaged bathroom pipe accordingly. 

It will reduce the clicking and knocking noise. 

Heating pipes:

It is usual for heating pipes to make a clicking noise since the hot water will expand the metal pipes. The clicking noise will irritate you when it expands the metal and gets through the lines. 

It will be worse if your heating pipes will have some clogs inside. So, you should check your heating lines and be sure to get things perfect soon.

What does it mean when pipes make a knocking sound?

When pipes make a knocking sound, it means that the water flow is shut off suddenly to create vibration. As a result, your water pipes will move a little and get through the wooden floor. That’s how the pipe creates a knocking sound. 

It’s common for everyone to experience such knocking noise from their bathroom pipes.

If you have a wooden floor and you install your pipelines on that floor, you should check the water flow. If the water flow creates any vibration, you must check the clogs and the water pressure. Sometimes, the water lines may create other issues, including clicking noise. 

You can also reinstall your water pipes above the wooden floor to avoid the knocking noise. It will help you even if your water pressure is unstable and creates vibration.

How do I fix my pipes from clicking?

You can fix your pipes by clicking in the following ways:

Drain Air: 

The first step to fixing your pipes from clicking is to drain all the air. The process of bleeding air out of your radiators is a reasonably easy plumbing chore to carry out, and all you need is a basic understanding of do-it-yourself projects. 

If you release the trapped air, the radiators should no longer make the clicking and ticking sounds and should also be able to heat up more evenly.

Order: 

Your next step is to get your system in order. Power flushing your heating system to lessen the amount of noise produced by your system and make it work more smoothly.

Limescale isn’t the only waste that can accumulate in your system; rust and grime are also common culprits. In many cases, this may cause sludge to collect at the base of your radiators, preventing them from heating effectively. 

This debris can be removed from your heating system by having a professional flush it out. Once this is done, the water will be able to move through your system normally, and your radiators will be able to reach their maximum heating capacity.

How to prevent my pipes from clicking?

You can prevent your pipes from clicking in the following ways:

Secure Pipes:

This might be a precious piece of work that will help to greatly minimize the amount of clicking sounds you might have been experiencing. 

It is far less probable that pipes will come into touch with other services, and they are likely to lessen the possibility of more severe problems happening in the future if they are fixed firmly in place.

Pipes that are not correctly secured have a greater potential for more severe issues to arise.

Secure Fasteners:

Pipes need to have secure fasteners to function correctly and prevent clicking sounds from occurring. 

You can generally tighten or replace fasteners on your own as long as you have access to them; however, you will need to make sure that you ask around at the hardware shop to identify the type of fastener that is right for your pipes.

Place Felt:

You next need to examine the area to determine if any pipes are in contact with components that they shouldn’t be, such as joists or other pipes. Felt should be placed between the pipe and the surface to prevent clicking. 

It shouldn’t take you too much time to fit the felt between the space, and it should fit tightly between the gap.

Service Boiler Regularly:

It is advised that you service your boiler once a year. 

If you combine this with noise reduction, your system will operate more efficiently, which might reduce your heating costs and increase the lifespan of your central heating system.

Final Thoughts

Internal clogs, imbalance in water pressure, and hot water are the main reasons your water pipes create clicking noise. You must clean your pipes regularly to avoid such problems and clicking noise. Sometimes, repairing would be your only solution to eliminate such problems.